For Sandy Hook families, a delicate return

A man waves to a child on a bus Wednesday, the first day of classes after the holiday break in Newtown, Conn. School resumed for students in Newtown, except for those who are enrolled in Sandy Hook Elementary School. They will begin classes Thursday at nearby Chalk Hill Middle School, which was renovated for them in the neighboring town of Monroe. Sandy Hook Elementary was the site of the Dec. 14 attack by a lone gunman that killed 20 children and six adults.

I want to reach out to you again as Opening Day for SHS approaches. Please know the inspiration for you and your children have been to my staff and me as we connect with you at Chalk Hill. Please also know that we have a keen appreciation for the unique needs of all members of the SHS Community and we are doing our best to consider the range of needs in all of our planning.Most importantly, the intent of this message is to talk with you about Opening Day which is Thursday, January 3, 2013. Be assured that the towns of Monroe and Newtown are working night and day to ensure the facility is safe, secure and fully operational for our return.Again, I want to assure you that we understand many parents may need to be near their children on their first day(s) of school and you will be welcome.That being said, we encourage students to take the bus to school in order to help them return to familiar routines as soon as possible. Parents choosing to join their children may come to school after our 9:07 a.m. opening and will be welcome in the classroom or the auditorium throughout the day. To ensure a safe and secure environment, we ask that no more than one adult family member accompany his/her child. For those planning on dropping off students, please review our website (http://newtown.sandyhook.schooldesk.net) for this and other logistical information. The website will be updated by 4 p.m. on January 1st.Our walk-through is scheduled for Wednesday, January 2nd from 1 to 3 p.m. We are offering this walk-through primarily for those who have not yet had an opportunity to visit our Chalk Hill facility. We ask for your cooperation in limiting your visitations to that time frame as the morning is dedicated to working with staff. Be aware parking will be extremely limited and consider this in your planning (perhaps carpooling with neighbors).In closing, I want parents and families enduring the loss of their precious children to know their loved ones are foremost in our hearts and minds as we move forward. We recognize your needs are paramount in our preparations and planning. Your strength and compassion have been and will continue to be an inspiration to me and countless others as we work to honor the memory of your precious children and our beloved staff.With gratitude for your trust and support,

Donna

Editor's note

The announcement is from Donna Page, a former principal of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., and is posted on the school website. Page has been asked to come out of retirement to lead the students and staff after the Dec. 14 attack at Sandy Hook in which a gunman killed 20 children and six members of the school staff, including the school's principal. Pupils enrolled at Sandy Hook Elementary will be attending classes at Chalk Hill Middle School in Monroe, about 10 miles southeast of Newtown. The building has been painted and retrofitted, including raising the bathroom floors so the smaller elementary school children can reach the toilets. The school has been furnished with the pupils' desks from Sandy Hook along with the backpacks and other belongings they left behind in the chaos during and after the shootings.

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For Sandy Hook families, a delicate return

Dear Cherished SHS Parents and Guardians,I want to reach out to you again as Opening Day for SHS approaches. Please know the inspiration for you and your children have been to my staff and me as we